John M. Crisp: Is Donald Trump a threat to democracy?

Is Donald Trump a threat to democracy? It’s an interesting question that can be provocative and banal at the same time. Liberals hear the provocative version. Despite our nation’s 248-year, more-or-less successful experience with democracy, liberals worry that our form of government is, historically, a rare and fragile thing.

Many of them see the Nov. 5 election as a defining moment, after which our democratic republic will continue, or it will decline into oblivion. MAGA conservatives—the only kind who matter, these days—treat the question in two ways: Trump’s instinct is to turn the question on its head: No, Democrats are the real threat to democracy, the kind of “I know you are but what am I?” response that Trump uses often.



Others trivialize the question and accuse Democrats of wringing their hands and clutching their pearls over nothing. But let’s broaden the scope of this question beyond Nov. 5: Several stories converged last week that call into question the health and future of democracy, not just in America but in the world.

The first was reported in a Reuters article with this headline: “Russian president scores a BRICS win.” A photograph accompanies the story: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are depicted smiling congenially and shaking hands after five years with no formal talks between their two nations. BRICS is a collaboration of emerging-market nations dedicated to economic development and cooperation.

Originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India and China (thus, BRIC), it now includes South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. A counterpart and competitor to the Group of Seven (G7), BRICS represents 45% of the world's population and 35% of the global economy. The BRICS meeting was held in Kazan, on the banks of the Volga River, and provided an opportunity for its host, Russian President Vladimir Putin, to dissipate some of the isolation he’s experienced as a result of his indefensible invasion of a neighboring sovereign state.

Putin fashioned himself as a world leader of a growing group of nations that oppose liberal western values such as representative government and rule of law. A second story: China, Iran and North Korea are already supplying Putin with weapons he needs to carry on his war against Ukraine. Last week, reporting indicated that North Korea is sending troops to Russia, as well.

In short, the world is increasingly choosing sides in an ideological and practical confrontation, which makes the picture of the leader of the world’s largest democracy, India, making nice with the leader of the world’s largest autocracy, China, deeply disturbing. Which brings us back to Nov. 5.

As the two opposing world views—democracy and autocracy—coalesce and solidify, which side will the United States choose? A few years ago, such a question would have been preposterous. But our country finds itself in a unique situation with the current presidential contest: a traditional political party is in a dead heat with an opponent who refuses to accept his last election loss or commit to a peaceful acceptance of the upcoming election. Donald Trump’s affinity and admiration for authoritarians—Putin, Orban, Xi, Erdogan, Bolsonaro—is well-documented.

And if you don’t believe that Trump has praised Hitler and his generals, then you have to imagine that John Kelly, a distinguished Marine Corps general who was close enough to Trump to serve as his chief of staff, is just making things up, which—let’s face it—is quite a stretch. In short, Trump’s commitment to democracy is alarmingly questionable, but there’s no question that the world’s autocracies would welcome him into their club if he wins. Imagine Putin’s satisfaction as he sees his goals in Ukraine and Europe become more achievable with Trump in office.

We like to believe that democracies are durable. They are, however, fragile, and at times they’ve been undone by a single charismatic individual. Unfortunately, American democracy is not inevitable.

At present the world is choosing sides between two starkly different ways of living. America will have to choose, as well, as it will do on Nov. 5.

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